


A Lot like Love and Loey

by chanyeoloving



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, M/M, art major baekhyun, park loey, single dad chanyeol, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 17:38:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16791604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chanyeoloving/pseuds/chanyeoloving
Summary: Where single father Chanyeol has no idea why anyone sane enough would sit outside under the falling snow, but Loey loves Baekhyun, and he thinks that's enough.





	A Lot like Love and Loey

**Author's Note:**

> This makes no sense [unedited u-u I'm sorry] and it probably does have a lot of loop holes but here it is :3

  


“Loey, he isn’t out there.”

Round eyes peer over the edge of the sofa that’s pushed up against a wall of the living room, the only one in the cosy apartment with a wide window placed behind it. His hair is a mess and there’s a drop of toothpaste smudged across his button nose. None of them have noticed so far. But a pair of similar round eyes, shaped like almond with a couple of wrinkles around the corners, red from the lack of sleep, fall on Loey as the three year old stares out of the window. His small hands are cupping his warm face while he does so.

Chanyeol momentarily looks up from his notes, little scribbles made on worn out paper about which marbles to use for the Kim house, or what colour he should ask the painting crew to order in for their nursery. He glances at Loey, watching as his son stands beside the wide window, in his striped pyjamas and covered by a blanket Chanyeol had taken out of the linen cupboard. He doesn’t notice his father staring, even as he turns to him and blinks up at him with wide eyes, his small hands letting go off the blanket.

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping, Pumpkin?”

Loey scrunches up his nose in response, furiously shaking his head before he speaks with his little lisp, “it snowing.”

It is snowing.

Floating, frozen raindrops are falling ever so slowly from the light coloured sky, landing on grey floors and settling there until the pavements are painted white. There aren’t any shadows, neither are there auburn coloured leaves because it’s November; the blankets have been taken out for the season and the neighbourhood park is empty for the night. Everything just stands stark white and the sky is a slight hue of purple, as if it’s glowing even without the moon. Against the snow, stands the streetlights, too, looking like dimmed fireflies surrounded by glass walls, standing tall and towering over the roads.

Chanyeol leaves the coffee table after a while, walking over to Loey to also look out of the window, momentarily awe-struck by the snow falling slowly and sticking to the glass. And Loey feels a whole lot proud, the three year old’s cheeks rosy and round, smiling to himself because his father loves snow just like he does. Even if the stars can’t be seen and Chanyeol loves the stars the most, he thinks snowflakes are just as pretty, like stars falling from the night sky.

It’s only when Chanyeol finally notices the time and crouches down to take Loey into his arms that he spots the silhouette sitting on the bench right outside of their apartment block. Narrowing his eyes just a little, his eyebrows furrowed and his face too close to the window, his breathe fogging up the glass, he turns towards to Loey with a tilt of his lips.

“So he really is out there.”

And Chanyeol knows he’s clearly not thinking straight when he helps Loey slip into two sweaters, a hoody and a padded coat, with thick gloves and a hat and all. He himself slips into his jacket as Loey dawdles around him, attempting to unlock the front door as he stands on his tiptoes. He soon gives up, though, and stretches his arms out to Chanyeol once the man ties his shoes, squealing quietly because his father is a giant. – he can see the whole world when he’s in his arms. And the sight is adorable because the tip of Loey’s pointed ears are red just like his father’s, having slipped out of his beanie.

They stroll through the warm, empty hallways of their block and take the stairs all the way from the fourth level. The cold bites at Chanyeol’s face as soon as they step out of the main lobby and so, he holds Loey closer and gently pushes his face into the crook of his own neck to stop the snow from falling onto his baby’s face. Then Chanyeol is chuckling behind his woollen scarf because Loey is reaching out to grab onto the snowflakes with his tiny hands, blindly, with his face still hidden away. But it’s only for so long before they near the bench and Chanyeol spots the man sitting under the snow.

“You’ll catch a cold.”

Droopy eyes barely glance over at Chanyeol, but they soften at the sight of Loey trying to wiggle out of his father’s arms, almost falling onto his butt as he does so but soon scurrying over to the bench. Chanyeol can only sigh exasperatedly because his son and the man are peering up at him like they have no idea what he was talking about. His own gaze is stern, yet the stranger just stares at him with his puppy-like eyes. And Chanyeol likes to think everything about him is puppy-like, from his mouth and his prominent cupid’s bow, to his button nose that twitches under the winter air and his soft brown hair. Chanyeol also likes to think that he doesn’t find him cute. Not at all. There’s nothing cute about his scowl, or the way he just shrugs his shoulder to dismiss Chanyeol’s words. Neither is the sight of him smiling down at Loey with all the stars in his eyes.

This time Baekhyun just bites back a reply and continues to ignore the older man, instead choosing to pour all his attention towards the three year old, taking his tiny hands in his cold ones. He’s still shivering in his seat, teeth chattering quietly and the skin of his arms turning pale under the bright snow. His bottom lip is trembling too, and Chanyeol notices, but Baekhyun tugs away at it with his front teeth so the other man can’t see.

Chanyeol’s voice is gruff when he speaks again, muffled and deep against his knitted scarf, “you shouldn’t be wearing t-shirts in the winter, let alone when it’s minus five degrees and snowing.”

“Who are you?” Baekhyun bites out, yet it’s not the least bit threatening because he has started to sniffle, nose red and almost runny, “my dad?”

The older man doesn’t say anything for a while. He just stares wearily and takes a place next to Loey, who is dozing off against Baekhyun, his tiny arms wrapped around the stranger. It’s only when Baekhyun shuffles closer that Chanyeol catches a glimpse of the bag resting against the bench, filled with paints and canvases and spoiled with tiny holes tearing away at the bottom of it. He soon realises the purples and the pinks on Baekhyun’s hands, frowning just a little at his thoughts, trying to piece them together.

“You came here straight after class again.

It isn’t a question and the art major doesn’t say anything – he doesn’t need to – so Chanyeol only moves closer with a huff.

Baekhyun doesn’t see it coming when a jacket is suddenly dropped over his shoulder, heavy and warm, the fur of its hood falling into his eyes and almost blinding him for a second. But it also basks him in a warmth he’s been wanting since he stepped out of campus. His eyes only close in contentment for seconds, the edges of his mouth pulled into a pretty curve and his button nose scrunching while he does so.

His eyes quickly snap open and he’s standing up abruptly on wobbly knees, letting the jacket fall to the snow covered floor. Baekhyun stares down at Chanyeol still sitting on the bench like he’s scandalised.

The taller man follows, although slowly, tired and annoyed as he speaks, “if you’re going to do that, I’ll just put it on for you.”

Baekhyun isn’t given any time to understand or to even put up a protest before he everything turns dark, and it leaves him feeling all sorts of lost. His eyes blink frantically as he begins to wave his arms around, hitting against air while he makes grabbing motions like a baby towards where he thinks Chanyeol is. The older man’s groans and strained sighs are barely audible against his covered ears, against his yelping as loud whines leave his mouth. A puppy, Chanyeol thinks, definitely a puppy. A stupid one, he adds, watching Baekhyun stroke a nearby streetlamp, only for him to suddenly pull back his fist and punch the black metal pole.

A scream tears through the silent neighbour, soon drowned out by the snow.

“Where are you, old man? Come here right now!”

Chanyeol watches while Baekhyun walks around blindly, knocking his knees into the bench, slipping up on the snow, almost toppling over a sleeping Loey, who snores loudly with his mouth wide open. So Chanyeol just silently takes a seat near his son and waits.

All he had wanted to do was to go to sleep after a gruelling day at work, having picked Loey up from Kyungsoo and Jongin’s house before they walked home, took a bath and had supper. He had dressed his son up in his favourite pyjamas – all his pyjamas are his favourite – and combed his slightly curly hair before Loey dragged his blanket across the living room and camped near the window. Chanyeol should have known he couldn’t just go to sleep like that today.

Rubbing his calloused hands together to create more warmth, blowing into them until he’s reaching for his baby’s hands, Chanyeol observes the purple skies and white snow as Baekhyun finally takes a seat beside them again. The silence hugs them both and so does Loey’s loud snores.

They first met almost a year ago, when Loey was two and had seen his first snow, his words coming out in a mess as he had gestured to the snow outside their apartment, surprised. The snow had only started to set but it still had the then two year old pressing his face against the wide window, till he had left a trail of drool, patches of red colouring his face from how cold the glass was. Chanyeol had half-heartedly told him to stop but only a few hours later, all his friends had received a picture of a shirtless Loey pressing his tummy onto the window.

That was then, when everyone packed themselves into the coffee shops, where Chanyeol and Loey would meet up with Junmyeon and Yixing – and sometimes Sehun – or when they’d wrap themselves up in layers of clothing. But Byun Baekhyun was the only one to greet winter with a grimace. Chanyeol had found that unusual when he walked home that day on the first snow after visiting his parents for the weekend, a sleeping Loey in his arms, as he had bumped into Baekhyun for the very first time.

From then on, he would see him almost every night.

It was Loey who peeked out from the window a year ago and saw the same man sitting on the bench outside their apartment block, pointing him out to his father so eagerly. Chanyeol had walked over, surprised at his excitement but also feeling a little stupid, before he found himself grumbling under his breath about silly people being a nuisance as soon as he spotted the man. He then left to set the kettle to boil. Loey continued to press his face further into the window.

And it was only a few hours after that night when Chanyeol had told Mrs Oh from next door to look after Loey for just a while, kissing his son’s forehead before treading down the flight of stairs. His warms were bare and cold; he had a hot water bottle tucked under his arms. So, the cold still nipped at his face, at his fingers, especially at his numbed ears. The sight was confusing, but it was endearing enough for Baekhyun to greet him with a stutter, his face flushed – from the winter or his dubious smile, Chanyeol didn’t know – and he took the water bottle and the extra hot pockets from the tall man. He had nodded hesitantly and wouldn’t meet Chanyeol’s eyes, even as he said a quiet thank you. The designer understood and rushed back inside to take Loey home.

Yet, it never crossed his mind to ask the brown haired stranger why he chooses to sit outside every day, be it a hundred degrees outside or unbearably cold, wearing his thin t-shirts and tight jeans, and often tainted with licks of paint or charcoal. He never thought to ask.

Lost in his thoughts, Chanyeol is broken out of his memories when Baekhyun suddenly grabs onto his forearms and falls, landing in his lap like a restless puppy. The older man removes the hood that is partially covering Baekhyun’s eyes, revealing a pair of brown eyes glaring holes into him, a scoff also ready to fall from his lips. But the taller man just dismisses it with a toothy grin and gently slides the jacket off from Baekhyun’s head, and the latter obliges while he fiddles with the buttons. Only because Baekhyun is momentarily dazed at the sight of the little creases besides Chanyeol’s eyes – smile wrinkles Loey would say – so beautiful and bright even against the glowing purple sky.

The light feeling breaks when Baekhyun feels his blush burning at the apple of his necks and all the way to his ears, feeling like all the other men and women who swoon over the single father whenever he takes Loey to the park. Because the man is handsome, charming, too, when he holds the door for people, or when he offers to carry their things. It’s his grin and his dimples, and his eyes just shimmering in happiness. And Baekhyun may or may have not swooned just a little, too – maybe a lot – during the summer, a time where he had waited on one of the picnic tables, with his oil paints and canvases scattered before him.

That very summer, Baekhyun had found out that Chanyeol had a knack for rolling up the sleeves of all his t-shirts, the sight of thick biceps decorated with tattoos and shining with sweat being a bit too flustering for Baekhyun and the other onlookers as he carried Loey through the park.

The younger man quickly shakes his head at the thought and scrambles up from his spot, pouting almost immediately as if that would hide his burning cheeks. Then, he’s whining again, nuzzling his nose into the soft material of Chanyeol’s jacket, the familiar scent of pine and cinnamon warming him on the inside.

“Don’t treat me like a child.”

Chanyeol only tilts his head at the sudden exclamation, staring at Baekhyun who sits there with a blanched look on his face. The hand around Loey’s own tightens and Chanyeol decides to ask the art major something he should have asked a long time ago, “why do you always come here in nothing but jeans and a t-shirt? The bag full of paints, too. Did you run away from somewhere? Are you waiting for your long lost lover?”

“Something like that,” Baekhyun mumbles after a while, sneaking a glance at Chanyeol from the corner of his eye like the man isn’t already staring at him, “I’m waiting for my soulmate. I had my Animae Dimidium Meae cards read when I turned eighteen and they said I’d find him here in Seoul. That was four years ago. Maybe that means I’m four years late but be it winter or summer, I know I’ll find them here. When I do, they say no matter how much rain or snow falls, your soulmate’s warmth won’t compare to the jackets and the scarves. Does that make sense, Giant?”

Chanyeol just stares, perplexed, eyes heavy and blinking as he stares between the dimly lit streetlights and the dreamy look on Baekhyun’s face. It doesn’t really make sense. But then Baekhyun’s eyes are turning into crescents, and Chanyeol suddenly forgets that the moon isn’t here tonight. The slight frantic beating of his heart is, however, and there’s a small smile adorning his own face because Baekhyun makes the glowing purple hues of the night sky look even more beautiful. And neither of them notice how the artist’s breath catches in his throat when Chanyeol turns towards him. Instead, shy glances are shared and Baekhyun’s hands fidget against his torso.

“His name hasn’t appeared?” Chanyeol asks as his tired eyes flitter from the shine of Loey’s drool falling from the corner of his mouth to Baekhyun’s bare wrists, trying to get a better look at the pale skin, to see if it is as inkless as he expects it to be.

“It’s as inkless as the day I was born. But that means I’ll just have to wait for the stars to show me my soulmate; maybe I’ll wake up one day with their name on me,” Baekhyun laughs, wistful and loud against the snowfall, “what about you? Have you found your soulmate?”  


Chanyeol hesitates but he shakes his head, and Baekhyun thinks he understands when he notices the man hold Loey closer against his chest, “I-I thought I did.”

“Don’t worry, Giant. We’ll find them one day.”

“You don’t even know his name, Baek.”

The art major does nothing but lean back in his seat, leg bouncing against a table leg and his tubes of paint unopened on the oak table. The coffee shop is buzzing with sound but it’s soft and warm, even if Jongdae’s voice is too high and Minseok’s expression doesn’t make Baekhyun any less uncomfortable. He still sits like he’s not fazed, sort of nonchalant, taking sips of his too sugary hot chocolate while he thumbs at the corner of his blank canvas with his other hand. No other place than the art department’s café makes Baekhyun feel like he’s in his own element, well, until Jongdae comes rushing in like he does every day. This time he had slammed against the table Baekhyun occupied, with Minseok strolling in a few minutes later and setting his textbooks down before flickering Jongdae’s forehead.

“That’s good, isn’t it?” Baekhyun asks, but he’s not asking anyone in particular, voice light, but they all know he’s a little offended, “names make you attached.”  


Minseok absentmindedly agrees and begins to talk, learning forward in his seat as the other two eye him warily, “he knows the little cupcake’s name. Loey. Look how attached he is to him now. If he finds out his father’s name, this guy here would probably fall in love with him right then and there.”

Baekhyun gapes at him in disbelief.

“E-Excuse me? Who said anything about me falling for Loey’s dad? My soulmate is out there somewhere, I’m sure. Like the stars would ever have me fated to someone like him.”

“Right.”

“And besides,” Baekhyun whispers, uneasy as his fingers leave the empty canvases to trace around the rim of his mug, the rings on his fingers hitting it every now and then, “he- well, he… you know they lost Loey’s mother when he was born. The giant says she wasn’t his soulmate, but he was in love with her. He’s still in love with her, isn’t he? Wouldn’t he be?”

Baekhyun knows he shouldn’t ever listen to someone who is currently stuffing peach pastry into their mouth like they’ve been starved for days, but even if there is a drop of jam on the corner of his mouth and his best friend looks really stupid right now, Jongdae speaks like he’s seen things – many things.

“Does anyone ever really only fall in love once?” Jongdae pauses, licking his thumb before he continues, earning a disgusted look from Minseok, “you fell for your non-existent soulmate once you had your cards read. Then you met Loey and his dad. You’ve already fallen more than once, Baek.”

“Jongdae.”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

“Loey.”

“No.”

“Please, Pumpkin.”

Sehun’s snickers die down as soon as Chanyeol whips his head around to face him, staring at him from the opposite side of the cake display as he begins to mutter threats under his breath so Loey can’t hear. It’s not as if the boy can hear anyway. His pink ear muffles are on, keeping his ears warm from the winter air, and his face is squished up against the glass of the display as he pays his father no attention. And Chanyeol sighs, watching Loey silently, the three year old staring at all the cakes with sparkles in his round eyes. From the red velvet cakes to the butter pudding cups, even the little set of cannoli Sehun had decided to experiment with for the Christmas collection.

The cake shop is the right type of cosy because the cold air that’s seeping in through the gaps of the door is drowned out beneath the hot ovens behind the counters where Jongin and Sehun are ringing up orders. It’s busy. People are swarming in and out in groups, some collecting their orders while some decide to loiter around to look at the different flavours of cake and to bask in the warm atmosphere. There are tables and chairs, too, white and wooden to fit in with the baby pinks and baby blues of the store, for those who want to stay inside and eat cakes on personalised muffin cases – an alternative for plates.

Chanyeol had come in a little after the sun had set, after working at home to design an extension for a client while Loey had taken a nap. The three year old had ran into the store and crashed into Sehun’s knees before being lifted up by the tall man to be twirled around until they reached their usual table. Chanyeol and Jongin watched them go while discussing the new recipes that are finally out on the menu, bringing in Kyungsoo here and there as Jongin grinned like he was talking about the wonder of the worlds. So, Chanyeol wondered, staring at Kyungsoo’s name inked across Jongin’s wrist, if this is what all soulmates feel.

The thought lingered and then it left as Chanyeol grabbed a handful of tissues and took a tray full of cake to their table, while Sehun secured the booster seat on Loey’s chair.

“You’re growing too fast, baby boy.” Sehun joked as Loey poked at his name tag, sending Chanyeol a look of mirth when the single father began to set everything down onto their table.

“Big- big like Uncle Sehunnie?”

“Big just like me, Loey.”

Sehun had left soon after to tend to the other customers, leaving Chanyeol to feed Loey, even though the three year old had insisted that he knows how to use a spoon. Chanyeol could have only watched for so long as little bits of cake had kept falling before actually reaching Loey’s mouth. His son had frowned at the piece of utensil until he huffed loudly and started using his hands to eat his cake slices and also his father’s.

It was all going well until they finished their dessert and left some so Jongin could pack it in a to-go box, while Chanyeol had wrapped up Loey in his jacket and his gloves and his woollen hat, trailing behind him as they walked to the counter to say goodbye to his uncles. And it all would have gone even more well if Sehun hadn’t slipped a fresh batch of apple pie, golden and covered in honey jam, into the glass display, and caught Loey’s attention.

Now here they are with Chanyeol narrowing his gaze at Sehun and Loey proceeding to squish his left cheek further against the glass. His tiny hands are also placed onto the display, words muffled, too, as he nods his head at nothing in particular.

“We have some cake to take home, Pumpkin.” Chanyeol tries to reason, crouching beside his son and poking one of his chubby cheeks to get his attention. It doesn’t faze Loey in the slightest.

“But Loey want this one.”

This is the sight Baekhyun walks in on, causing him to almost trip over himself as he comes to an abrupt stop at the entrance of the cake shop, hardly feeling Jongdae bumping into his back. The quick sounds of explosions in his ear drums are too loud, the hard pinches to his chest seem to wrap around him, and no one has any clue as he stands there like he’s completely awe-struck. Because the store lights hang from the ceilings in pretty glass cases, covered with bronze, one hanging directly above a pouting Chanyeol and Loey, who looks two seconds away from kissing the cake display. Baekhyun thinks nothing has ever looked so beautiful.

“Ow, dude, what—oh!”

At Jongdae’s unnecessarily loud exclamation, almost half of the customers turn towards them to give them curious glances before they’re going back to their treats. But then Chanyeol is turning around and he’s staring, surprised, his almond eyes shining under the light above him. He stands up from beside Loey, finally earning the toddler’s attention as he turns around and follows his father’s gaze.

“Puppy!”

Jongdae just stares, feeling entertained, as Baekhyun lets his bag full of art supplies slip off his shoulder and onto the floor, crouching down onto his knees without a second thought, arms wide open. Loey screams and claps his hands, running right into them. The music major behind Baekhyun soon casts a glance at Chanyeol, who just stands there looking all sorts of lost and fond. Even Jongin and Sehun are peering around the counter, sharing grins with Jongdae like they’re all long lost friends.

“Do you want cake?” Loey starts speaking as Baekhyun stands up with him in his arms, eyes catching onto the splotches of orange paint on the smaller man’s jaw, “Loey and Daddy had lots and lots of cake. And- and uncle Sehunnie said Loey going to be big boy. And Uncle Kyungsoo got a fish. But Loey wants dog. You want dog, too, Puppy?”

It’s such an odd sight to see: Baekhyun in one of his thin t-shirts, smudges of paint all over his skin and his hair soft just like his nose and cheeks, holding a bundled up Loey in his too thick jacket and his Zootopia printed gloves. But it still fits, Chanyeol thinks, as Baekhyun laughs loudly at the three year old’s words, mouth turning into a rectangle, confused but amused, and then he’s rubbing his button nose against Loey’s own. It fits.

Chanyeol’s thrown out of his reverie when Sehun starts chortling behind him, and he’s finally focusing his eyes until he realises that Baekhyun is standing right in front of him. He notices Jongdae, too, feeling a little uncomfortable as the man sends him a closed mouth smile, looking all kinds of mischievous for someone Chanyeol’s only seen twice before. He chooses not to dwell on it for too long because Baekhyun is scowling up at him like he always does, lips pursed and nose tilted upwards into the air, but he still needs to look up at the older man. Chanyeol finds it adorable.

“Why won’t you give my little man an apple pie?” The younger man asks, looking displeased as he shares a look with Loey and nods – no one but the two of them have any idea why.

“Because he’s eaten like six different flavoured cakes today.”

It comes out unsure, apprehensive maybe, as Chanyeol stares questioningly at Baekhyun. He momentarily forgets that as Loey’s father, he gets to make the decision, but Chanyeol feels a little too overwhelmed with the both of them peering up at him like that. At least Jongdae has left them to introduce himself to Jongin and Sehun, already whispering bets about who’s going to confess first – a beginning to a lifetime of friendships.

Baekhyun falters slightly, quickly blinking down at the floor like he’s thinking, “well, I think—”

“Loey tummy hurt. It gonna go kaboom.”

All the adults look towards the little toddler as he scrunches up his nose and reaches out for Chanyeol. The taller man take his son, fumbling with the box full of cake and Loey’s changing bag, but Baekhyun is there holding onto his baby’s tummy, a tiny hand following to cover his own. Jongdae, although concerned, almost laughs because he’s never seen Baekhyun this worried. Not even when his art deadlines were close by and he had yet to choose the right type of paint for his final piece. However, it’s heart-warming all the same, watching Baekhyun and Chanyeol fuss over Loey, standing a little to close to each other that the older man can feel the art major’s hair tickling at his chin as he worries.

“I- I don’t know what fixes tummy aches; I’ve never done this before, but you- I don’t know, make sure you don’t give him any heavy food for a while.” Baekhyun blabbers, mind a mess, but it’s still endearing as he continues to rub Loey’s tummy.

“Now you see why I couldn’t give him the apple pie.” Chanyeol suddenly pipes in, tucking his son further into his arms, a small smile playing on his lips as he does so.  


Jongdae starts laughing again, and Baekhyun had thought there would be nothing more annoying than his best friend cackling like this. That is until he meets Oh Sehun and Kim Jongin, who start laughing obnoxiously, too. They laugh like whatever Chanyeol said is the funniest thing on earth. And maybe he’ll laugh about it one day, he thinks while he watches the trio falling over themselves until Chanyeol turns around to look at them with his jaw clenched because all his friends are destined to be idiots.

“Yeah, yeah, Giant.”

“Puppy, is that you?”

A deep timbre of a voice breaks through the calming silence of the library, like it’s rumbling and soothing at the same time, causing Baekhyun to drop the book in his hands. He startles are the sight of Chanyeol looming over him from where he’s sat up against one of the book shelves under the art section. The knots form in his stomach without a warning, like they always do, because Chanyeol looks so cheerful. His ears are painted like they always are in the winter, his almond eyes are twinkling under the library lights, too, and his hair is mussed up, parted at the centre and falling into his eyes. And then Baekhyun notices Loey behind the older man; the three year old is sitting on the floor just like him a few steps away, opening and closing the flaps of a pop-up book with all the concentration he can muster. The bookshelves around him reach the ceilings, towering over Loey. Baekhyun thinks the sight might be a bit too adorable.

He soon notices the deep maroon coloured scarf wrapped around the toddler and then realises that Chanyeol has a matching one.

Baekhyun looks at it longingly and the single father grows amused as the puppy-like man sniffles loudly and shivers a little in his spot. The library walls couldn’t keep the winter cold out. But baekhyun is sat here, in an oversized plaid shirt this time, looking up at Chanyeol with pleading eyes, silently asking for the man to surprise him with another scarf or a beanie, anything that could help Baekhyun through this terrible cold.

So, it shouldn’t surprise Baekhyun when Chanyeol soon pulls out an auburn coloured jumper from his bag and not so gently tugs it over Baekhyun’s head, patting the soft material down as the smaller man slips his arms in through the sleeves. But it does. It’s oversized and heavy and warm, and Chanyeol isn’t thinking when he threads his fingers through Baekhyun’s hair and ruffles the soft, brown strands, before he’s pulling him up and wrapping his arms around his head. Baekhyun, feeling a little too dazed, doesn’t realise that Chanyeol has him in a headlock until Loey dramatically closes his pop-up book and gasps from behind them.

“If I die in this library, I swear, I will haunt you for the rest of your life.” Baekhyun threatens, grumbling into Chanyeol’s arms while trying to kick at the taller’s knees with his shorter legs.

“Oh, yeah? You—”

“Puppy, Loey save you!”

The librarian stands before them with a solemn look on her voice, disappointed at the sight of Chanyeol’s arms still wrapped around Baekhyun’s head and Loey squished in-between the both of them from where he tried to save the younger man. She leaves with a finger against her lips, shushing them until Chanyeol finally releases Baekhyun and bows apologetically.

They pack their bags up in a hurry and return their books together before Chanyeol is ushering Loey down the stairs and outside the library, Baekhyun following beside them with a hand holding onto the toddler's. And his scowl directed at the three year old’s father.

The snow is noisy under their boots and Loey has a bundle of it in his arms, holding it close to his chest with one hand because, “it a snowbaby, daddy.”

“You know, it would be very ironic if you die because of the cold when I’ve lent you my jumper.” Chanyeol points out as the three of them walk through the empty town, the streetlights glowing above them as the snow settles down on the ground below for another night. All three pair of eyes focus on the fairy lights hanging from the corners of store signs, pulled across the streets, shining bright reds and oranges.

“You’ll get it back.” Baekhyun remarks instead, his tongue in his cheek as he stares up at the tall man.

Chanyeol strolls further ahead while Loey walks beside Baekhyun, their shorter legs trying to keep up with the older man’s huge strides. The painter trails his hands over the newly planted trees aligning the pavements as they walk, collecting snow in his palms before throwing them in Chanyeol’s direction. Only for him to completely miss. The latter does notice Baekhyun’s failed attempt, but he decides not to say anything; he just looks over his shoulder and sends the man a grimace, his eyes soon trailing down towards Loey to make sure the three year old’s cheeks aren’t too red. He walks with his hands stuffed into his pockets and his legs taking longer strides than before, leaving Baekhyun staring at him appalled.

“You’d made a bad soulmate,” Baekhyun suddenly announces. He glances over at Chanyeol, not waiting for a reply as his gaze drops back to the white floor, lips twitching into a smile and his eyes already shaped into crescents like the moon above.  
>p 

“I said, you’d make a bad soulmate. Okay, here I am, a helpless stranger. We’re strangers, right? And you’re just walking ahead like I don’t have Loey here with me. So, what if I was your soulmate and I suddenly tripped and fell? Would you help me up or just take my baby with you and leave your helpless soulmate to fend for themselves—”

“Are you done?” Chanyeol cuts in as he waits for Baekhyun and Loey by the road crossing. As soon as the smaller man is close enough, the older man knocks his head against the other’s head softly, watching as he topples over but manages to grab onto the other's arm to steady himself on his feet. Chanyeol decides to continue, “none of what you said makes any sense. Even Loey wouldn’t get it. And you- what makes you think you’d make such a good soulmate."

Baekhyun stares, baffled, like the answer isn’t obvious enough, “if I was your soulmate, I’d be in love with you. You’d be the luckiest man out there, Giant, but me and you – that’s impossible.”

“If that helps you sleep at night then sure thing.”

“Hey, hey, what is that supposed to mean?”

“Loey, he’s only four months old.”

The three year old turns to his father with an incredulous look, his round eyes wide and his eyebrows raised until they’re hiding behind his hair. He’s sitting on the soft rug in front of the coffee table, right next to the playmat Jongin had placed down for Jongsoo; he has been for the past hour, with his toys surrounding him, one even stuffed under his sweater because it was getting cold – like he said. Kyungsoo coos from his place on the sofa, a cup of coffee in his hands and Jongsoo’s striped blanket discarded across his knee.  


Chanyeol looms near the television, hands filled with movies, wondering which one is entertaining enough for the five of them to watch.

“But Loey only three! Jongsoo four already?” The three year old exclaims. His eyes are fixed on the four month old, who gurgles and marvels at the sight of the ceiling lights.

“What, no, I- baby, he’s four months old. You’re three years old.”

Loey doesn’t respond but Chanyeol watches as he starts counting on his fingers, holding up four before he’s looking over at his Uncle Jongin for answers. The man just nods and Chanyeol and Kyungsoo aren’t sure at what, but Loey seems to understand and turns back to introducing his toys to Jongsoo.

It’s silent for a while, comfortable, as Chanyeol dims the lights and starts to play Zootopia before settling himself down on the sofa next to Jongin and Kyungsoo. It’s still snowing outside, and the schools and some work places have been shut down for the week and so, they all bask in the cosy feeling of Chanyeol’s apartment – under the blankets his mother had given to him when he first moved in with a year old Loey. Their home is on the smaller side, but the windows are big and the carpeted floors are soft, just perfect for the two.

Halfway through the movie, Jongsoo falls asleep and Loey crawls over to Chanyeol with his favourite teddy – Mr Berry. The toddler climbs into his father’s arms and continues to watch the movie, the colourful scenes reflecting of his big eyes. And it’s uncanny how they look so much like each other, Kyungsoo thinks as he shifts himself to lend Jongin his shoulder. Even their mannerisms are the same, their mouths silently copying the words spoken by the characters, the duo focused on the movie like it isn’t the seventy fifth time they’ve seen it this year. But sometimes, Baekhyun seems to fit in perfectly, too.

“Will you ever ask for his name?”

The question is so sudden and it settles heavily into the air. Kyungsoo only smiles when it takes a few seconds for Chanyeol to understand, the furrow of his eyebrows falling and his mouth parting a little as he throws a weary look at Kyungsoo. Jongin just listens and Loey is starting to drift off in his arms.

“Why would I do that?” Chanyeol asks, voice just as heavy and low.

“Isn’t that what people usually do? Introduce themselves, find out each other’s names,” Kyungsoo explains, more bemused than anything, “it’s been a year and you’ve never thought to ask Puppy for his name. Do you know how odd that sounds?”

Chanyeol does nothing but lift up his arm and tap on his bare wrist, turning back to the movie because he doesn’t really want to see the annoyed look on Kyungsoo’s face right now. Neither does he want to see Jongin blankly staring at him, the baker indulging in the moment where it’s not him on the receiving end of his husband’s judging stare. But the gesture is enough for the shorter man to heave a sigh, his big eyes falling from Chanyeol’s expressionless face to Loey’s.

“The stars don’t always have you fated to a person all the time, Chanyeol,” and whatever Kyungsoo is saying is nonsense, he thinks, “sometimes you fall in love and then the stars do their thing. A name may not be on your wrist yet, but you’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

“What makes you think that?”

“Loey told me.”

Chanyeol whips his head around to face his guests, finding two pairs of curious eyes staring at him as they wear twin smiles of mirth. His fingers still from where he was threading them through Loey’s hair. Yet, Jongin and Kyungsoo continue to stare, prompting him with their eyebrows raised, teasing him subtly as he begins to stumble over his words.

“You’re going to believe a three year old—”

“Chanyeol,” Jongin suddenly begins, mouth in a pout, words slurred and his head rolling off Kyungsoo’s shoulder, “the little man loves Puppy as much as you do. Every time he’s around at our house, he’s always telling Jongsoo how cute the guy is, that he wants to draw him pictures and give him all his toys – including Mr Berry. I mean, that’s love, man. For a three year old at least.”

“He also tells us how you’re always looking out of the window for him, that you’d pack him hot packs and food and go out in the freezing cold just to make sure he’s doing okay. Maybe it’s just what anyone would do, but they don’t. You do, though. You worry over him a little too much and maybe Loey’s noticed that. He isn’t just a stranger to you, Yeol.”

Kyungsoo and Jongin look at him expectantly, both shuffling further into the corner of the sofa and away from Chanyeol. Neither of them say anything for a while, the movie still running in the background and Jongsoo has woken up at one point, gurgling to catch his parents’ attention, but Chanyeol just sits there with a passive look on his face.

“You two talk too much.”

The couple would have protested if the smile on the taller man’s face wasn’t obvious as daylight, even as he goes to hide it behind the sleeve of his sweater. So they just leave it at that, turning back to the movie, with Loey waking up to climb on top of a sleeping Jongin.

Maybe Chanyeol does worry too much.

“What are you doing here?”

Baekhyun stands outside the apartment’s elevator, dumbfounded, as Jongdae stands there, too, before him. The lobby is empty, the snow is piling up outside, but his best friend’s grin looks too bright and too stupid. It only grows wider when Baekhyun finally steps into the elevator with a gift in his hand.

He had left home an hour ago, stepping out just when the snowfall for the night began. Crystal snowflakes had slipped in through strands of his brown hair, some had fallen onto his round cheeks while some tickled his nose. Jongdae laughs at the sight but he laughs even more when he realises that Baekhyun is wearing a hoodie. And anyone would know it’s Chanyeol’s, with the way the sleeves keep falling over his fingertips and how Baekhyun mindlessly dips his nose into the collar, breathing in the familiar scent of pine and cinnamon. Jongdae laughs and Baekhyun doesn’t understand, finding nothing funny at all. So, he shoves his friend over onto the other side of the elevator and scowls.

“I was invited to Loey’s father’s birthday party.”

Baekhyun blanches, voice low, “by who?”

“Jongin”

“Who is Jongin?”

“How do you not know who your future husband’s best friend is?”

Jongdae runs out of the elevator as soon as the doors open, leaving a red faced Baekhyun behind. The music major takes a glance over his shoulder just as he rounds the corner, only to see his best friend running after him, the wrapped gift held high above his head as he yells , voice loud in the apartment block hallway.  


Kyungsoo opens the door in time as Jongdae tumbles into the apartment. A panting Baekhyun is right behind him, having abruptly stopped next to the door as the man stares at him, eyes huge and owl-like and calculating.

“Ah, Puppy, we haven’t seen each other in a long time.” Kyungsoo greets once he recognises Baekhyun, clapping his hands together as he leads him inside of the familiar apartment.

“Puppy? Oh, um, yes, Puppy. That’s me.”

“Jongin’s trying to get your name out of Jongdae.”

Baekhyun walks into the living room to see his best friend sitting on the rug with his mouth shut while Loey attempts to put a party hat on him. Jongin towers over the both of them, challenging Jongdae with his eyes, but he gives up as soon as he notices Baekhyun in the room, smiling at him brightly before he’s making his way over to Jongsoo on his playmat.

It’s only when Baekhyun has placed his gift behind the sofa, against the wall, hands now empty and nervously patting at his thighs for a minute or two, that Loey notices him and crashes into his knees. He’s holding another party hat in his hand, meant for Baekhyun as he tugs on the hem of his sweater till the art student is kneeling down in front of him. So, his eyes soften, and his smile is equally soft, patiently waiting as Loey places the hat on Baekhyun’s head. His own hat is tilting to the side while he has his tongue stuck out in concentration.

Baekhyun’s soon broken out of his thoughts when Loey cups his face with his tiny hands, bringing his own closer until they’re nose to nose. And then, there’s an eskimo kiss, and then two and three, until Baekhyun’s laughing with his heart in his throat.

“Loey can have cake now!”

Baekhyun lifts him up into his arms as he strolls towards a spot in the living room, the three year old blabbering a mile a minute, words a little slurred because his mouth forms a slight pout whenever he’s talking – just like his father.

“Is that right, baby?”

Loey nods, looking ever so blissful as his mind drifts off to who knows where, eyes fluttering closed, face pointed up at the ceiling, voice airy, “Loey going to have all the cake.”

“What about daddy then? Isn’t it daddy’s birthday?”

“Daddy in the kitchen,” Loey replies, looking thoughtful while he crawls out of Baekhyun’s arms and makes his way towards Jongsoo, “he can have a little bit.”

That’s how Baekhyun finds himself leaning against the doorframe after Kyungsoo had ushered him to greet the birthday boy. The designer is oblivious as he pours snacks into colourful bowls, whistling under his breath and with his back turned towards Baekhyun. He’s wearing a party hat, too, but a glittery one that sparkles under the kitchen lights. And maybe Baekhyun is secretly enjoying the view of Chanyeol in a shirt that make his broad shoulders more prominent, paired with the black slacks adorning his long legs. His dark hair seems to be styled back, too, and Baekhyun doesn’t know why he’s already blushing.

“Fancy seeing you here, birthday boy.”

It’s brighter than the purple skies and the glowing snow outside when Chanyeol turns around, surprised, a smile blossoming on his face as soon as his eyes land on Baekhyun. With a handful of chocolate buttons, Chanyeol reaches out and offers some to the short man, his eyes still twinkling even when Baekhyun steps into the kitchen with a shake of his head. There’s a skip to his step that has his soft hair bouncing, just like his heart climbing further up his throat because Chanyeol’s just staring at him like that.

“You actually came?” The older man asks, like he can’t quite believe that Baekhyun’s in his apartment, wearing a party hat Loey had insisted everyone wear because they’re cute and Iron Man themed. It’s not long before he notices the jumper Baekhyun is wearing, one that hasn’t been in his closet for weeks, but it has the heavy, comforting feeling in his chest settle down.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Giant.”

A cough from Jongdae has the two of them stuttering and stumbling around one another, Baekhyun quickly excusing himself out of the kitchen, dragging his best friend with him so the man couldn’t say anything stupid. Jongdae doesn’t. However, only forty minutes later, when Kyungsoo has lit the candles on the birthday cake and Loey is singing the birthday song with his hand across his chest next to his father, does Jongdae make obscene gestures between Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Sehun, who had arrived with Junmyeon and Yixing only ten minutes earlier, had ended up guffawing so loudly, muffling his laugh into Jongin’s shoulder.

Cheers erupted and cake is shared until Chanyeol stills when he reaches Baekhyun, holding a piece of his birthday cake in front of him for him to take a bite.

“Loey’s going to end up stealing my piece.”

Baekhyun was only joking because Chanyeol wasn’t moving and so, he doesn’t see it coming when the taller man leans forward and pushes the cake slice onto his nose, smearing it in chocolate. Chanyeol laughs loudly while the younger sits there, mouth agape and droopy eyes blown, looking all kinds of scandalised and betrayed as he feels the cold chocolate on his skin. But everyone sees it coming when Baekhyun grabs a handful of cake from Jongdae’s plate and smothers it over Chanyeol’s cheek to do the same, covering his dimple and getting it all over the side of his mouth.

The party ends with the cake being taken away to the kitchen by Kyungsoo and Chanyeol bidding everyone goodbye. The gifts were given a while ago, all placed on the sofa where Loey sits amongst them now. He’s wiggling his toes as Junmyeon and Yixing kiss his cheek one by one, the three year old holding their faces close to his as he giggles, especially when his Uncle Sehun leaves one too many over his cheeks and his forehead and his nose. Jongin soon follows, carrying Jongsoo as him and Kyungsoo both hug Chanyeol goodbye.

And it’s when Baekhyun finally comes out of the bathroom, the cake stains gone and Chanyeol’s jumper folded neatly in his arms, does he finally realise that everyone’s left. Even Jongdae. He stands in the living room awkwardly as Chanyeol passes by him, the older man glancing over his shoulder from where’s tidying up the dinner table once he notices that Baekhyun is staring at him.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Chanyeol speaks, a mumble at first before he’s turning around with a tilt of his mouth, looking all smug for no apparent reason, “we still have to open my birthday present from you; you wouldn’t let me open it in front of everyone else.”

He blushes too much, the taller man thinks, because as soon as the words had left his mouth, Baekhyun’s cheeks grew a bright red, brighter than the dim lamp standing at the corner of the living room. Although he doesn’t say anything else, Baekhyun throws him a heated glare and scurries over to the sofa, falling against the pillows with a huff. Loey immediately climbs under his arm and shoves the top of his head further into Baekhyun’s armpit, and he thinks it is kind of odd but he also finds it a bit too cute.

“Isn’t it way past your bedtime, baby?” Baekhyun hums, toeing the rug beneath his feet as he watches the three year old still wiggling his toes.

Loey hums back, tired.

Chanyeol returns to his son fast asleep against Baekhyun, his snores loud and a little drool escaping the corner of his mouth. He gently picks him up and carries him to their bedroom, asking for Baekhyun to do whatever he likes as he tucks Loey into bed and surrounds him with his stuffed toys, so he doesn’t slip off if he suddenly wakes up. Chanyeol leaves the nightlamp on, shadows of stars and constellations floating around the walls of the room, and he leaves the bedroom door wide open as he walks back into the living room.

He stops walking, only to see Baekhyun standing there with his gift in his arms, nervous, and Chanyeol can tell because he’s biting away his bottom lip – because Chanyeol’s smiling at him like that. With his hair all dishevelled and the first few buttons of his shirt open, eyes twinkling and slightly red, and his own plump bottom lip caught between his teeth like the younger’s, Baekhyun thinks he looks like Prince Charming.

“My gift?” Chanyeol asks, voice hopeful as he steps closer to Baekhyun.

He nods, lost for words. So, he just keeps nodding, even as Chanyeol takes the gift out of his hand gently, struggling with it a little because it’s wide and tall, wrapped in brown paper. Baekhyun waits with his hands against his torso, his fingers fidgeting and lacing together, watching while Chanyeol unwraps his birthday gift for him. It’s probably a minute or two before the taller man is slipping off the rest of the wrapper paper, and he’s turning the canvas around, holding it up high and momentarily hiding Baekhyun behind it.

The artists begins to stutter, “I didn’t know what- what you'd like. I could have chosen a million things and maybe they would have been much better than this, but I wanted to… I wanted to give you this. You can do whatever you want with it, I- I don’t mind. As long as you like it.”

With reds and grey, splotches of oil paints cover the entire white canvas. Lines engraved into in from where Baekhyun had used his spatula and brushes to get all the colours to overlap, till they stood bright against each other. And there’s the whites, white like the colour of pearls and clouds, maybe even the stars, used for the snowflakes surrounding Chanyeol and Loey against the falling snow. The eyes, the mouths and the smiles, all detailed with the tiniest of brushes, worked on for hours as Baekhyun had painted it all by memory. He memorised the day of the first snow this year, of the way Chanyeol and Loey had worn matching red winter hats. How they had skipped all the way from apartment 4B with an extra woollen hat in the three year old’s hands, till it ended up in a surprised Baekhyun’s lap as father and son had smiled at him so beautifully. He remembered the way the snow seemed to glow brighter that day, how the heavy feeling in his heart seemed to soften till he couldn’t feel it anymore. Instead, he just felt loved.

“You made this? For me?”

Chanyeol’s voice is low like it always is, soft, too, as he stares up from the painting to look at Baekhyun. Yet, for some reason, the thrumming sound in his ears is too loud. His chest feels tight, and his mouth seems dry, but Chanyeol isn’t looking away.

“I mean, I know it’s nothing special. But, just for you—”

Chanyeol isn’t thinking as he suddenly places the canvas against the side of the sofa and takes Baekhyun’s face into his hands, taking his mouth into a kiss.

He feels the rough pads of Chanyeol’s hands on the smooth skin of his cheeks first, feels his nose bumping into his, and then he feels his mouth against his lips, hot and needy as he kisses him back. It has Baekhyun stumbling back just a little before Chanyeol’s hand is pressed up against his hip, warm through his thin shirt, warm like Chanyeol and under his hands from where he smooths his own hands over the taller man’s shoulders. The kiss grows desperate, all kinds of fervent and dizzying, as Baekhyun hugs Chanyeol closer to him with one hand while the other runs through the man’s tousled hair, his grip tightening every time the latter kisses the corners of his mouth. It’s when Baekhyun has Chanyeol’s bottom lip caught between both of his, kissing him softly now, that the single father groans deeply. And Baekhyun feels it; he feels the deep timbre of it against his chest from where it’s pressed up against the other’s, all the way to his fingertips as he pushes himself further into Chanyeol.

Then he’s pulling back, gasping for breath. He stares at Chanyeol with wide eyes and trips over himself, his senses all over the place as he starts to panic under Chanyeol’s hooded gaze, his eyes heavy lidded like he himself hasn’t come to his senses yet.

“I- I didn’t meant to—”

Lips swollen and red from Baekhyun’s kisses, Chanyeol chases after him. Their noses bump once again while their eyes flutter close, and Baekhyun’s hands are once again in Chanyeol’s hair as he feels the older man cradle the back of his head to tilt his face up just a little so he could pry his mouth open to deepen the kiss. Then it’s Baekhyun chasing after Chanyeol, standing on his tiptoes to kiss him once, twice, thrice, because Chanyeol’s eyes are shimmering and they’re beautiful and so enthralling.

The snow is still falling outside but neither of them know how much time has passed, only that it’s still night out and most of the city have fallen asleep.  


Baekhyun pulls back, a wistful smile on his face as he catches his breath, his hands flat against Chanyeol’s chest because his heart is heavy and his knees are weak. Not that Chanyeol is faring any better.

“I… I should head home. I should go before the snow becomes too much, you know.”

Don’t go.

Chanyeol nods, and they remain silent for the entire time as he slips one of his other jumpers over Baekhyun, smoothing his thumbs across the apple’s of the smaller man’s cheeks, smiling when he leans into his palm without a thought.

“So, Puppy, I’ll see you soon?”

“If you want to.”

The softness in Baekhyun’s eyes doesn’t disappear as he steps out into the hallway, as he looks over his shoulder to wave goodbye, falling shy because Chanyeol is grinning and he looks bashful. His smile stays even when he walks out of the lobby and into the snow, disappearing against the light purple of the sky, snowflakes falling into his hair and onto his nose.

It’s when he’s walking across the empty park and around the frozen fountains, when he reaches up to rub at his nose, does the sleeve of Chanyeol’s jumper fall down and bunch up around the crook of his elbow.

Then he sees it.

Black ink under his skin, cursive and against the blue colour of his veins, a name he’s spent all his life waiting for.

His name.

But he doesn’t want to feel the frantic beating of his heart, or the tremble of his hands, or the butterflies diving into the pit of his stomach. Instead, he focuses on the irritating lump in his throat, an ache so annoying and stupid building up in his head, something that pounds away until he can feel it all the way to the back of his skull. The insistent stinging of his droopy eyes is there, too. Because the sobs are building up his chest and they hurt, and the snow seems cold, his tears too warm as he breaks down in the middle of the park with his face in his hands.

A name he had waited years for, ever since his mother told him all about the constellations, of the stars that always came in pairs. It's a name he had been waiting for to bring butterflies and birds and tiny fireflies to his stomach ever since he turned eighteen. Yet, it was also a name that never showed itself until he turned twenty two. Until he had fallen in love with someone else.

Someone who the stars have fated to someone who isn't him.

He isn’t your giant.

“Mr Berry is going to get cold, Loey.”

The three year old only shuffles closer to the window, holding his favourite teddy bear closer to his chest. His nose is red and his palms, too, as he grips onto the corner of his blanket. He’s sitting with his legs spread out, in his polka-dotted pyjamas, but his jumper has ridden up and his tummy is sticking out a little. Chanyeol would have taken a picture if it wasn’t for the frown on his baby boy’s face.

“Puppy going to get cold, Daddy.”

It’s been two weeks since Chanyeol’s birthday party, since he kissed Baekhyun and told him goodnight. Two weeks and there’s no sight of the puppy-like man sitting on his usual bench outside the apartment block. Even Jongdae hasn’t seen him, not on campus, not at his favourite café either. Chanyeol hadn’t thought much of it at first, just giddy, but a week had passed and they didn't bump into Baekhyun. Loey started to notice, too, always with his face and hands pushed against the living room window, looking down at the courtyard and the empty benches with his stuffed toys lined up behind him.

Today, he’s sitting with Mr Berry, visibly sulking as Chanyeol sorts through his work diary. The skies have started clearing up a little, the purple hues turning into dark blues, the mood bright and peeping through the clouds. Loey watches the stars, his hand tracing the glass of the window as if he could reach out for them and take some. He grows frustrated, however, balling his tiny hands up into fists so he can press them into his eyes, pouting heavily as he sits like that, unmoving.

“Is Loey upset?” Chanyeol asks, his voice gentle as he walks over to his son, quietly sitting in front of him with his knees pulled up to his chest.  


He doesn’t say anything, mouth still pouting while his hands are still pressed into his eyes. Yet, Chanyeol sees the tears falling down his red, chubby cheeks, and he hears the little hiccups escaping with barely contained cries.

“Does Loey miss Puppy?”

One nod of his head is all it takes for Chanyeol to open up his arms for Loey to fall into them. He cries loudly against his father’s shoulder, staining his jumper with his tears and drool as Chanyeol rocks him back and forth against his chest. It’s enough for the single father to furiously blink back his own tears, instead letting airy chuckles leave his mouth so he doesn’t have to acknowledge them.

“You wanted to keep Puppy forever?” Chanyeol whispers, and Loey nods, face puffy and cheeks pink.

“Me too, Pumpkin.”

~

“I should have brought you flowers.”

Chanyeol stares at Loey, questioningly, eyebrow arched and his arms folded over his chest, as the three year old sings at the top of his lungs while building a snowman. Although the snow is there and it’s still powdery and white, winter is starting to calm down and warm up, enough for Loey to sit on the ground in his pyjamas and a thick coat.

The single father had draped himself over the bench in front of their apartment block, absentmindedly sighing to himself, the white noise of the quiet evening filling his thoughts. It falls into a groan when he finds himself glancing over to the side, hopes eager and eyes attentive, only to slouch against his seat and wonder where Baekhyun has been these past few weeks.

Chanyeol would peer through the window of his living room, towering over Loey, every morning and night. He would grow excited, only for his emotions to dwindle down into a frown when the smaller was nowhere in sight. He had even spent several evenings whining into his pillow as Loey would sit on his back and slip pink hair clips into his father’s hair. None of it made sense.

But Chanyeol knows he shouldn’t be pining after the unnamed man; he knew it was wrong. Especially now. All these thoughts weave through his mind as he lifts up his arm and traces over the black, cursive writing with his fingers, leaving a small kiss against it.  


Byun Baekhyun.

So what is he doing here, falling for a stranger, when his soulmate is somewhere out there waiting for Chanyeol to find him.

“This is all your fault!”

A loud scream breaks Chanyeol out of his pestering thoughts, and he instantly groans when he turns to find Baekhyun stomping towards him.

A red nosed, open mouthed and droopy eyed Baekhyun.

It’s the angry cry that has Chanyeol standing up from his seat and Loey dropping his snowman’s head in shock, both of them sharing a look before they’re silently watching as Baekhyun finally comes to stand in front of them. He’s angry, scowling, eyes filled with tears that stream down his pink cheeks and join together at the tip of his chin. He’s dishevelled, too, looking more like a puppy than usual with his hair all tousled and his eyes. And Chanyeol feels so stupid for being in love.

But just as he reaches out to bring Baekhyun closer and into his arms, to ruffle his hair, anything as long as he can stop crying, a weak hit against his chest leaves him looking wearily down at the man.

“You’re so mean!” Baekhyun cries out, his words sticking together and filled with hiccups, “how- how could you do this to me?”

And Chanyeol has no clue as to why Loey is looking at him disapprovingly, too, his own almond shaped eyes narrowed as he attempts to cross his arms over his thick coat. He begins to nod along as Baekhyun continues, and Chanyeol is sure his son has no idea what’s going on.

“Y-You… I don’t know what to do, Giant. So, please tell me what do to b-because it’s your fault. It’s all your fault! You didn’t have to—”

“Can you stop?!” Chanyeol suddenly snaps, chest heaving, growing overwhelmed, at Baekhyun’s insistent words or his cries, he doesn’t know. But he pulls him closer when the brown haired man stares like he’s lost and stupefied. His tears seem to twinkle against the sun that’s peeking out through the clouds, and Chanyeol thinks he might be going crazy because who thinks like that unless they’re in love. He doesn’t know what to do either. He only gulps under Baekhyun’s gaze, even when it’s the latter who seems to be broken, and he thinks it might just be his fault after all.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” Chanyeol pleads, gripping onto the painter’s hands to hold them against his chest, and for once, they’re not covered in paint.

“I- I found my soulmate.”

He isn’t sure what he’s thinking when he reaches for Baekhyun’s hands again after the smaller man tries to pull them away, but he does, with a sharp intake of breath following before he speaks, “I found mine, too.”

“Then what am I doing here? What am I doing here with you when I have a soulmate. I… I’ve been waiting for him all these months, Giant, all these years. And now when the stars have finally chosen to show me his name, why can’t I bring myself to- to feel anything? I don’t feel anything!” Baekhyun confesses, looking down at their hands with his tears still stinging and pooling at the corners of his droopy eyes, voice falling to a whisper, “what am I supposed to do when I’ve fallen in love with you?!

Baekhyun wants to stop, to wipe away his tears with the sleeves of his jumper and to swallow the lump in his throat because Loey is looking up at him like he wants to cry. Because he’s never seen his Puppy so upset – not his Puppy who gives him eskimo kisses and makes his daddy smile like he does, who asks about Mr Berry when no one else understands. His Puppy who loves him, too.

“How am I supposed to love my soulmate when I’m hopelessly in love with you two? How am I supposed to love this Park Chanyeol guy when I’ve fallen for a guy whose name I still don’t know!”

Park Chanyeol.

Park Chanyeol.

Park Chanyeol.

“You’re Byun Baekhyun?!”

It’s no surprise when the younger man scowls up at Chanyeol after he yells and pulls him closer, wincing at his loud voice. It’s no surprise either when it falls and disappears, and his eyes widen like never before, staring up at the taller. He stares like he’s confused, and Chanyeol think he’s being accused.

“How on earth do you know my name?”

He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t need to. All Chanyeol does is grin at Loey before he’s sitting Baekhyun down onto the bench and holds onto his right hand. Like that, the sleeves of their jumpers are pulled up together, black ink on their wrists coming into view against the light blue sky and the white snow, bold and bright.

Baekhyun finally understands because for the first time, with their hands warm and their fingers intertwined, their tattooed names turn into a shade of violet, glowing like the snowflakes that have started to fall again

Three sets of hearts pulse strongly against their chest, breath faltering in sync before Baekhyun’s bottom lip is wobbling and his entire body his shaking with sobs. Then he’s throwing himself at Chanyeol, who laughs as the painter buries his tear stricken face into his chest. He soon begins to plant small kisses against Baekhyun’s hair, too, murmuring words softly under his breath.

His loud grows even louder, his heart so full and warm, when Loey squeezes himself in-between the two and tries hugging the both of them, his tiny hands holding their faces against his chest. Baekhyun just cries louder and holds his little baby.

“You know, none of this would have happened if you hadn’t refused to tell me your name the first time we met.” Chanyeol teases as he places his ear against Loey’s tummy, hearing it gurgle while he stares at Baekhyun fondly.

“I don’t remember you telling me your name either, you giant oaf.”

But then Loey is slipping away and onto the ground because his snowman is getting cold, and Baekhyun is pulling Chanyeol closer by the sides of his coat. With a tilt of his head, he presses his lips against the taller man.

_I’ve been waiting a long time for you._

He thinks as Chanyeol breaks out of his stupor and deepens the kiss, mouth warm and moving gently against his. It’s so soft and so gentle and Baekhyun feels his tears at the corners of his closed eyes, and they fall like the snowflakes against his cheeks and in Chanyeol’s hair. Even his heart seems to beat so loudly against his chest, against Chanyeol’s, through the thick layer of their jumpers. And maybe it skips a few beats when the taller giggles into the kiss while he runs his fingers through Baekhyun’s hair like he’s holding him like he doesn’t want to ever let go.

“I love you, Baekhyun,” he confesses, “I’ve loved you all this time.”

And he’s left breathless when he smiles down at him so beautifully, so he says, “I love you, too, Chanyeol.”

The finger poking at his tummy doesn’t go unnoticed, and Baekhyun finally looks down to see Loey peering up at him with a pout and wide eyes.

“I love you, too, my baby.”

_~Two years later~_

“I can’t give you cake.”

All eyes are focused on Baekhyun laughing into Chanyeol’s shoulder as they dance, footsteps clumsy as they hold each other close. Kyungsoo is recording the whole thing and Jongdae’s smile seems too suggestive, while Jongin explains everything to a three year old Jongsoo. Sehun is there, too, sat next to Junmyeon, Yixing and Minseok, hollering right next to Chanyeol’s grandmother. But they’re all laughing, happy as they watch the newly wedded couple have their first dance.

Except for one person.

“Papa said no,” Loey starts as he shifts under the table, hands holding onto a paper plate full of cake. His voice is hushed when he goes to lift up the table cloth, “you can’t have cake, Toben.”

The five year old sits there with his white suit and his bright red bowtie, eyeing the little puppy with wary eyes. He has cake on the sides of his mouth, a little on his chin, too, but he still has a whole lot of it on his plate all for himself. Except Toben had found him under the table and is sitting in front of him, wagging his tail like he’s patiently waiting. It leaves the five year old in a dilemma.

“If I give you cake, I won't be allowed to play with Hyunbee.”

At this, Loey lifts up the table cloth again and peers up at the guests seated around him, his eyes landing on Uncle Jongdae dancing on top of a table with Uncle Sehun before he finds his six month old brother sat on Baekhyun’s lap. The baby blabbers a little and mouths at his father’s thumb, his eyes – droopy and pretty just like Baekhyun’s – blinking up Chanyeol before he’s reaching out for him with his tiny hands, squealing when his dad takes him.

It’s only when Toben begins to bark, soft yipping sounds, as he paws at Loey’s knee and then saunters off, does Baekhyun find the five year old under the table. He’s onto his chocolate cake slice when he’s finally caught, a fork halfway into his mouth as Baekhyun stares at him.

“You know what,” his papa announces, crouching down until he’s halfway under the table. He pops a piece of cake into his mouth before he continues, “I love you.”  


It’s enough for Loey to grin with a mouthful of cake, cheeks round and pink, even as they both crawl out from the under the table and find Chanyeol towering over them with Hyunbee in his arms. The tall man just looks amused, like this isn’t the first time he’s caught Baekhyun and Loey hiding away with a plateful of cake.

“Sometimes, I feel like you love cake more than me, Pumpkin.”

Loey furiously shakes his head at that, mouth still full of cake as he puts his plate down and hugs Chanyeol around the waist, his nose against his father’s hip. Baekhyun soon joins in and teases their five year old, resting his chin against his husband’s shoulder, as all their friends and family surround them. And it’s a family hug in the middle of the venue. So it’s like that with the lights a pretty purple and crystal snowflakes hanging from the edges of the tables, with Baekhyun kissing him on the cheek and Loey and Hyunbee hugging him tight, that Chanyeol feels the happiest he’s ever felt.

Because it _is_ love.

  



End file.
